Applications are now available – or opening soon – for spots in choice schools and magnet programs in local districts across San Antonio for the 2019-20 school year.
Several of the programs are open to students outside of district boundaries and across Bexar County.
The programs have specific emphasis areas like dual-language education or a curriculum emphasis on professions, including law or health careers. Others offer high school students a chance to earn college credits. Students can apply to enroll in one of these programs instead of attending their assigned neighborhood school.
Below is a listing of choice programs open for students’ applications.
Harlandale ISD is accepting applications for its STEM Early College High School. Students living inside and outside the district can apply for a spot in the 125-person class of new students.
North East ISD’s application is open now. A lottery will take place on Jan. 31 and students who apply after that date may be subject to a waiting list. Each magnet program has an application on its website. NEISD’s programs include:
- Agriscience Magnet Program
- Career and Technical Education Center, which serves all seven high schools
- Design and Technology Academy
- Engineering and Technologies Academy
- Hallmark University’s Aviation Mechanics Program
- International School of the Americas
- Krueger School of Applied Technologies
- MAC UP
- North East School of the Arts
- Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Academy
The Agriscience Magnet Program, Career and Technical Education Center, Data and Technology Academy, International School of the Americas, and North East School of the Arts are open to students residing outside of the district.
Northside ISD‘s applications will open on Nov. 29 for its six magnet high schools, but only the district’s Health Career High School accepts out-of-district students. Applications are available on each school’s website and will be due on Jan. 11. These schools include:
- Communication Arts High School
- Health Careers High School
- Construction Careers Academy
- Jay Science and Engineering Academy
- Northside School of Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship (formerly known as Business Careers)
- Marshall Law and Medical Services Magnet School
Some of these schools accept transfers from other Northside high schools. Northside also offers a number of program transfers that vary by campus.
San Antonio ISD’s applications are open now until Feb. 8. Families can apply online, in person, or over the phone.
All SAISD choice programs are open to students who live both in and out of district boundaries. Each program has a certain percentage of seats they set aside for non-SAISD students. The programs include:
- Brackenridge Early College High School
- Brackenridge High School – Media and Film Magnet
- Burbank International Baccalaureate World School
- CAST Medical High School
- CAST Technology High School
- Edison High School – Health Professions
- Fox Tech High School – Health Professions
- Fox Tech High School – Law Professions
- Highlands High School – Engineering Magnet
- Sam Houston High School – Cyber P-TECH USA
- Jefferson International Baccalaureate World School
- Lanier High School – Engineering Magnet
- St. Philip’s College Early College High School
- Travis Early College High School
- Young Men’s Leadership Academy (grades 4-10)
- Young Women’s Leadership Academy (grades 6-12)
- Advanced Learning Academy (grades PreK-12)
- Harris Middle School – IB World School
- Rhodes Middle School
- Democracy Prep at Stewart Elementary
- Bonham Academy (grades K-8)
- Hawthorne Academy (grades K-8)
- YWLA Primary at Page (grades K-8)
- Briscoe Elementary School
- Lamar Elementary School
- Irving Dual Language Academy (grades PreK-8)
- Twain Dual Language Academy (grades PreK-8)
- Steele Montessori Academy (grades PreK-8)
Do these magnet schools which are not complete stand-alone magnet schools but are magnet-sub-schools-within-a-regular-school get their own separate scores on state testing? The titles sound great, but I wouldn’t take a chance on sending a child to any of them except the Northeast Distict’s Medical Careers H. S. (which is a stand-alone magnet school and gets its own scores which I have seen). How would I know how serious and successful these magnet-within-a-regular-school are?
They do not get their own separate scores. The magnet students are ranked against the entire school population. (Exception: ISA).
I have had one student graduate from The North East school of the Arts (NESA) at LEE HS. They were accepted to every college they applied to and eventually decided on NYU. I have two other students in Science Engineering Academy at John Jay HS and another at NESA. They will both graduate top of their classes and their college options are limitless. We have had a very positive experience in the magnet system.
It has been a good choice for us.